Counseling Services

March 17, 2020

Dear Bubbler Families,

In the wake of an unprecedented school closure, and the fear and anxiety many are experiencing as we work together through the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis, the SMSD School Counseling Staff wanted to reach out and let you know that we are committed to helping everyone through this time. While the circumstances are not ideal, we believe this is a great time to remind you that your students are well cared for and loved by their counselors.

The school counseling team desires to be accessible to you and your students during this time. We will continually check our school e-mails and phone messages and do our best to respond as quickly as possible. Please know that we might not be able to answer some questions that relate to school operation. For that information, please refer to information that is posted by the school district. Please remember to use the appropriate resources in the event of a mental health emergency included at the end of this letter.

Confidentiality Statement: American School Counselors Association (ASCA) and its members affirm their belief in the student’s right to be treated with respect and dignity (ASCA, 2016, A.1.a). It is the school counselors’ responsibility to fully respect the right to privacy of those with whom they enter a counseling relationship and to provide an atmosphere of trust and confidence (Lazovsky, 2008; ASCA, A.2.).

A school counselor, who is in a counseling relationship with a student, has an ethical and legal obligation to keep information contained within that relationship. Confidentiality is the ethical and legal term ascribed to the information communicated within the counseling relationship, and it must be maintained unless keeping that information confidential leads to foreseeable harm (ASCA, 2016, A.2.e).